Alternative Fumigants

Plant & Food Research have completed a comprehensive review of alternative fumigants and other disinfestation methods with potential for use as quarantine treatments for New Zealand export logs. We have concluded that the fumigant ethanedinitrile is the most likely alternative to methyl bromide. As a result, our research programme is now focused in two areas:

Gathering efficacy data (fumigant toxicity, sorption and penetration at contrasting temperatures) to support a reduction of up to 40% in methyl bromide doses used to treat export logs, and

Assessing the potential of ethanedinitrile to control insects in export logs.

Mass-reared burnt pine longhorn larvae are placed on a special diet in preparation for a fumigation trial.

New fumigant penetration technique uses a probe to collect samples under bark (LHS) using log blocks sealed in a fumigation chamber (RHS).